Lawrence "Don" Davis
New Oxford
Lawrence Donovan Davis, 87, died Friday, April 14, 2017, at Cross Keys Village, the Brethren Home Community. He was the beloved husband for 62 years of the late Lois Marie (Padberg) Davis. Don was born June 13, 1929, in Jacksonville, FL, the son of the late Lawrence Davis and Roseland Smith. He moved to the Washington, DC area in 1935, where he resided until retiring to Fayetteville, in 1995. Don attended Carlisle Military Academy in SC where he played football, baseball and earned his flying wings. Upon graduation, he attended University of Maryland and was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, until the Korean War lead him to the USN serving on the USS Kirkpatrick. After four years with the USN, Don pursued his engineering career with notable assignments such as testing the nuclear bomb on Antaweitoc Island in the Pacific (1958), working on the first wind tunnels for NASA Langley in the early 1960's, going on to working with oceanographic equipment for AMF Sea-Link and later EG&G. He was a member and past president of the Haymarket, VA Lion's club. After moving to Fayetteville, he enjoyed retirement as a starter for Penn National and was a member of the American Legion.
Don is survived by a daughter, Debbie Miller and her husband, Michael of Fairfax, VA; a son, Don Davis, Jr. and his wife, Ginny of Gettysburg; four grandchildren, Sarah Leatherwood, Rebecca Davis, Cody Miller and Kalee Long; two great-grandchildren, Eloise Leatherwood and Harper Long; and brother-in-law, Pat Padberg and his wife, JoAnne of Alexandria, VA. Following cremation, a memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 29, 2017 at 11 a.m. at the Nicarry Meeting House of the Brethren Home Community, 2990 Carlisle Pike, New Oxford. The family will receive friends at 10 a.m. until the service begins. Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family. Memorial contributions may be made to SpiriTrust Lutheran Home Care & Hospice, 260 W. High St. Gettysburg, PA 17325. Feiser Funeral Home, Inc., 302 Lincolnway West, New Oxford, is in charge of arrangements.